Hearing device with own-voice detection

Abstract

A hearing device comprises a first microphone for provision of a first microphone input signal, and a second microphone for provision of a second microphone input signal; a voice detector module for processing the first and second microphone input signals, the voice detector module configured to detect own-voice of a user; a processor for provision of an electrical output signal; and a receiver for providing an audio output signal, wherein the voice detector module is configured to determine a direction parameter indicative of a direction of a sound source based on first and/or second microphone input signal; determine whether a direction criterion based on the direction parameter is satisfied; determine a first distance parameter indicative of a distance to the sound source; determine whether a distance criterion based on the first distance parameter is satisfied; and provide a voice detector output.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A hearing device comprising:
 a set of microphones including a first microphone for provision of a first microphone input signal, and a second microphone for provision of a second microphone input signal; 
 a voice detector module connected to the first microphone and the second microphone, wherein the voice detector is configured to process the first microphone input signal and the second microphone input signal, and to detect own-voice of a user of the hearing device; 
 a processing unit configured to provide an electrical output signal based on the first microphone input signal and the second microphone input signal; and 
 a receiver configured to provide an audio output signal based on the electrical output signal; 
 wherein the voice detector module is configured to:
 determine a direction parameter indicative of a direction of a sound source based on the first microphone input signal and/or the second microphone input signal; 
 determine whether a direction criterion is satisfied based on the direction parameter; 
 determine a first distance parameter indicative of a distance to the sound source based on the first microphone input signal and/or the second microphone input signal; 
 determine whether a distance criterion is satisfied based on the first distance parameter; and 
 provide a voice detector output indicative of a detection of the own-voice of the user based on a determination that the direction criterion and the distance criterion are satisfied. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The hearing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the voice detector module is configured to determine the first distance parameter by:
 determining a first test measure based on the first microphone input signal, and 
 determining the first distance parameter based on the first test measure. 
 
     
     
       3. The hearing device according to  claim 2 , wherein the voice detector module is configured to determine the first test measure by determining a test signal based on the first microphone input signal, and determining a power of the test signal as the first test measure. 
     
     
       4. The hearing device according to  claim 2 , wherein the voice detector module is configured to determine the first distance parameter also by:
 determining a second test measure based on the second microphone input signal, and 
 determining the first distance parameter based on the second test measure. 
 
     
     
       5. The hearing device according to  claim 4 , wherein the voice detector module is configured to determine the second test measure by determining a test signal based on the second microphone input signal, and determining a power of the test signal as the second test measure. 
     
     
       6. The hearing device according to  claim 5 , wherein voice detector module is configured to determine the test signal also based on the first microphone input signal. 
     
     
       7. The hearing device according to  claim 4 , wherein the set of microphones comprises a third microphone for provision of a third microphone input signal; and
 wherein the voice detector module is configured to determine the first distance parameter by determining a third test measure based on the third microphone input signal, and determining the first distance parameter based on the third test measure. 
 
     
     
       8. The hearing device according to  claim 7 , wherein the voice detector module is configured to determine the third test measure by determining a test signal based on the third microphone input signal, and determining a power of the test signal as the third test measure. 
     
     
       9. The hearing device according to  claim 7 , wherein the third microphone is a behind-the-ear microphone in a behind-the-ear housing. 
     
     
       10. The hearing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an earpiece housing configured to be worn in an ear canal or at an ear of the user, wherein the first microphone is an in-ear microphone in the earpiece housing. 
     
     
       11. The hearing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a behind-the-ear housing configured to be worn behind a pinna of the user, wherein the second microphone is a behind-the-ear microphone in the behind-the-ear housing. 
     
     
       12. The hearing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first distance parameter comprises a first primary distance parameter associated with a primary frequency band and a first secondary distance parameter associated with a secondary frequency band, and wherein the voice detector module is configured to determine whether the distance criterion is satisfied by determining whether a primary distance criterion is satisfied based on the first primary distance parameter, and whether a secondary distance criterion is satisfied based on the first secondary distance parameter. 
     
     
       13. The hearing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a transceiver connected to the voice detector module, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive one or more contralateral input signals from a contralateral hearing device. 
     
     
       14. The hearing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the voice detector module is configured to determine a second distance parameter, and wherein the voice detector module is configured to determine whether the distance criterion is satisfied based on the second distance parameter. 
     
     
       15. A hearing system comprising a first hearing device and a second hearing device, wherein the first hearing device is a hearing device according to  claim 1 , and the second hearing device is another hearing device according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       16. The hearing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the voice detector module is configured to apply a machine learning model, and wherein the machine learning model is configured to obtain the first distance parameter, and to provide the voice detector output indicative of the detection of the own-voice of the user. 
     
     
       17. A hearing device comprising:
 a set of microphones including a first microphone for provision of a first microphone input signal, and a second microphone for provision of a second microphone input signal; 
 a voice detector module connected to the first microphone and the second microphone, wherein the voice detector is configured to process the first microphone input signal and the second microphone input signal, and to detect own-voice of a user of the hearing device; 
 a processing unit configured to provide an electrical output signal based on the first microphone input signal and the second microphone input signal; and 
 a receiver configured to provide an audio output signal based on the electrical output signal; 
 wherein the voice detector module is configured to:
 determine a direction parameter indicative of a direction of a sound source based on the first microphone input signal and/or the second microphone input signal; 
 determine whether a direction criterion is satisfied based on the direction parameter; 
 determine a first distance parameter indicative of a distance to the sound source based on the first microphone input signal and/or the second microphone input signal; 
 determine whether a distance criterion is satisfied based on the first distance parameter; and 
 provide a voice detector output indicative of a detection of the own-voice of the user based on a determination that the direction criterion and the distance criterion are satisfied; 
 
 wherein the hearing device further comprises a transceiver connected to the voice detector module, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive one or more contralateral input signals from a contralateral hearing device; and 
 wherein the one or more contralateral input signals comprise a first contralateral microphone of the contralateral hearing device, and wherein the voice detector module is configured to determine whether the direction criterion is satisfied based also on the first contralateral microphone input signal from the first contralateral microphone of the contralateral hearing device. 
 
     
     
       18. A hearing device comprising:
 a set of microphones including a first microphone for provision of a first microphone input signal, and a second microphone for provision of a second microphone input signal; 
 a voice detector module connected to the first microphone and the second microphone, wherein the voice detector is configured to process the first microphone input signal and the second microphone input signal, and to detect own-voice of a user of the hearing device; 
 a processing unit configured to provide an electrical output signal based on the first microphone input signal and the second microphone input signal; and 
 a receiver configured to provide an audio output signal based on the electrical output signal; 
 wherein the voice detector module is configured to:
 determine a direction parameter indicative of a direction of a sound source based on the first microphone input signal and/or the second microphone input signal; 
 determine whether a direction criterion is satisfied based on the direction parameter; 
 determine a first distance parameter indicative of a distance to the sound source based on the first microphone input signal and/or the second microphone input signal; 
 determine whether a distance criterion is satisfied based on the first distance parameter; and 
 provide a voice detector output indicative of a detection of the own-voice of the user based on a determination that the direction criterion and the distance criterion are satisfied; 
 
 wherein the hearing device further comprises a transceiver connected to the voice detector module, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive one or more contralateral input signals from a contralateral hearing device; and 
 wherein the one or more contralateral input signals comprises a contralateral voice detector output indicative of an own-voice detection by the contralateral hearing device, and wherein the voice detector output is based on the contralateral voice detector output. 
 
     
     
       19. A hearing device comprising:
 a set of microphones including a first microphone for provision of a first microphone input signal, and a second microphone for provision of a second microphone input signal; 
 a voice detector module connected to the first microphone and the second microphone, wherein the voice detector is configured to process the first microphone input signal and the second microphone input signal, and to detect own-voice of a user of the hearing device; 
 a processing unit configured to provide an electrical output signal based on the first microphone input signal and the second microphone input signal; and 
 a receiver configured to provide an audio output signal based on the electrical output signal; 
 wherein the voice detector module is configured to:
 determine a first distance parameter indicative of a distance to a sound source based on the first microphone input signal and/or the second microphone input signal; and 
 provide a voice detector output indicative of detection of the own-voice, wherein the voice detector module is configured to apply a machine learning model, the machine learning model being configured to obtain the first distance parameter as input, and to provide the voice detector output indicative of the detection of the own-voice. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The hearing device according to  claim 19 , wherein the voice detector module is configured to determine a second distance parameter, and wherein the machine learning model is configured to obtain the first distance parameter and the second distance parameter as input. 
     
     
       21. The hearing device according to  claim 19 , wherein the voice detector module is configured to determine a direction parameter indicative of a direction of the sound source based on the first microphone input signal and/or the second microphone input signal, and wherein the machine learning model is configured to obtain the direction parameter as input.